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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28680888">I Noticed</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippohead/pseuds/hippohead'>hippohead</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Glee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M, and by that outfit i mean the one in blame it on the alcohol, basically there's no way Blaine Anderson saw Kurt Hummel in that outfit and didn't think about it, but this is set a month after original song</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:27:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28680888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippohead/pseuds/hippohead</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Blaine proves that he noticed Kurt that night, in Rachel's basement, and the outfit he was wearing, and Kurt gives him a chance to do what he should have done.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Noticed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>basically Kurt looked really hot and ur lying if u say Blaine didn't notice. he did. (no one is saying he didn't i don't know why i'm being defensive fdjksjg) anyway pls enjoy this little ficlet ft. early boyfriends klaine</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s been an entire month since the day he finally kissed Kurt but Blaine can’t stop getting stuck on this: how on earth did he not realise sooner? </p>
<p>Because Kurt is pacing, back and forth and relentless, a monologue about the new <em>Hello, Dolly!</em> film announcement coming out of him like it <em>has </em>to, like if he doesn’t look at Blaine with wide and imploring eyes and say, “-the Barbra Streisand version is <em>right there,</em>” then he might explode. And it’s adorable. It is passion inside of him that makes him puff out his chest and complain, compare, despair over whatever director will ‘ruin’ his favourite film. Lots of films are Kurt’s favourite film.  </p>
<p>Blaine really loves that about Kurt; that he cares about so many things and that they are all his favourite, the contradiction of labeling more than one thing that seemingly completely irrelevant.  </p>
<p>Kurt pauses and takes a deep breath, and then starts up again, his argument shifting to Hollywood’s obsession with remakes in general now. There are a million different things that Blaine wants to do; roll off Kurt’s bed and tackle him into a hug, or shut him up with a kiss, or let him talk until he tires himself out and use the time to watch him, understand him, let the adoration in his heart for this boy grow even more. He wants to kick the door closed even though Burt had made a pointed comment about leaving it open, and distract Kurt with his mouth and his hands and his- </p>
<p>All of it – the wanting to <em>do </em>something but not being sure what and the adoring and the wandering thoughts, is not exactly new. It’s always been here, in the space between Kurt and Blaine. It just took him so stupidly long to catch up and figure it out and <em>know. </em> </p>
<p>Kurt had asked him to stop beating himself up about it after the fourth apology. “We’re here now and that’s what matters,” is what he’d said, and then he’d kissed Blaine in a way that was so sure, so solid, so grounded, that Blaine had felt them twist and plant with roots. </p>
<p>He stopped apologising after that, but it doesn’t stop him from wondering why it took him so long to identify this delicious ache in his chest that’s been here all along, since that first day on the Dalton staircase.  </p>
<p>“Blaine?” Kurt’s voice sounds different – soft, no longer raised. “I’m ranting, aren’t I?” </p>
<p>“Mm,” Blaine nods, a smiling playing on his lips. “Keep going.” </p>
<p>Kurt huffs out a laugh and rolls his eyes, more at himself than at Blaine’s teasing.  </p>
<p>“Come here,” Blaine says, all of the tease gone and entirely replaced with plead. He hasn’t been able to get a handle on the neediness that comes with all of the stopped apologies, but he knows the assurance in Kurt’s touch, Kurt’s smile, Kurt’s closeness will soothe him.  </p>
<p>Kurt does – climbs onto his bed where Blaine is resting with his back against the headboard and kneels in front of him, reaching out to curve his hand around Blaine’s thigh in a gesture that is so intimate, he’s not quite sure he deserves it. “What’s wrong?” </p>
<p>“Nothing,” Blaine smiles, looking down at the way Kurt’s thumb is moving over his leg, a tiny touch that says,<em> I’m here, I’m here, I’m here. </em>“Sometimes I just need to feel you, to remember that you’re real, to know that I didn’t mess it all up.” </p>
<p>There’s something generous about the way Kurt kisses him at that, all softness and willing to give him what he needs. Kurt always looks after Blaine’s insecurities with a feather-light touch and more patience than Blaine’s used to, and he does it again with this murmur: “You did the opposite of mess it all up.” </p>
<p>He lets that settle, tucked away in the corners of him, safe. And then it’s his turn to offer something, “When the remake comes out, I’ll take you to the cinema to see it and then even if it’s good, we’ll get a coffee afterwards and talk about how awful the casting was and how badly it was directed. Okay?” </p>
<p>Kurt grins, “Okay.” </p>
<p>They look at each other for a moment, just look, nothing required or expected. Sometimes his feelings for Kurt take him off guard, like they’ve been building up for so long without his knowledge that the gravity of them shock him. Right now, though, he’s realising that the weight and enormity is for a reason, even if they’re young, even if this thing between them is still running on firsts and newness. The roots are so deep that he can’t move, doesn’t want to, wants to be a tree with Kurt next to him always.  </p>
<p>He wants to ask Kurt if it’s normal to feel like you’ve found the love of your life at sixteen years old. They haven’t even said the L word yet, though, so he doesn’t. </p>
<p>“I like this shirt,” Kurt says, playing with the hem, breaking the intensity of the moment. “You wore it to Rachel’s party.” </p>
<p>“I did. You have a freakishly good memory.” </p>
<p>“That,” Kurt laughs, shuffling on the bed until his legs are kicked out to side of him, bent, his knees needing a break, “-or I just noticed because I had a stupidly big crush on you.” </p>
<p>He knows Kurt is just teasing, lightly, making fun of the pining he had done while Blaine was being busy being oblivious. He’s trying to give him some ease, but suddenly Blaine feels desperate to let Kurt know he wasn’t totally alone in it all. Especially not<em> that </em>night.  </p>
<p>“I noticed, too.” </p>
<p>Kurt looks at him, a little skeptical, as if his memories of that night prove otherwise. And he has a point, really, because Blaine had been an idiot. Actually, he’d been more than an idiot – obnoxious, out-of-his-depth, scrambling. Kissing Rachel, getting stupidly drunk, taking the easy way out instead of acknowledging what it meant that looking at Kurt in that outfit made him feel like he was overheating, on fire, too much.  </p>
<p>“I noticed,” he reaffirms, because he <em>did. </em>"Red shirt, buttoned all the way up.” He lets his finger run up the centre of Kurt’s chest, over the top of his sweater, stopping at the base of his throat. “Black tie,” and he flattens his hand, palm curving around his neck. Slowly, he moves his fingers to Kurt’s shoulder, drags them across his body diagonally, “That <em>fucking </em>harness belt.” </p>
<p>Kurt has been staring at him, stuck on a breath, but the curse word makes him inhale, quickly, like he can’t quite believe it. Blaine’s voice is filthy – far filthier than they’ve ever let themselves get around each other but he can’t help it. That harness belt is what had started his unravel that night, and it’s haunted him ever since.  </p>
<p>He lets his hands fall to Kurt’s hips, follows the curve of them and then down his thighs, “Black pants with safety pins all the way down the side.” </p>
<p>“You remember it,” Kurt says, almost a question but not quite.  </p>
<p>He doesn’t know how to tell Kurt that he more than just remembers it; he knows it, has it traced out in his mind and on-call, a picture, a painting, a portrait. He’s thought about Kurt in that outfit in bed, late, hand down his pajama pants and imagining what would have happened if he had <em>done</em> something that night. It feels like too much to reveal and they’re still figuring out where they’re at with all of that. So, instead, he says, “It was a very good outfit.” </p>
<p>Kurt smiles and lets a little bit of the tension that Blaine has created drain away, and waves his hand in a dismissal, “Yes, well, I was trying to impress someone.” </p>
<p>Blaine’s tone and the look in his eyes build that tension back immediately, as if he’s missed it in the second it was gone and needs it back in the air right now, “It worked.” </p>
<p>And then Kurt is – smirking. He’s smirking at Blaine, as if it’s <em>finally </em>sunk in that his outfit that night had an effect on Blaine, and that it makes him feel powerful, noticed, sexy. “Close your eyes.” </p>
<p>“What?” Blaine asks.  </p>
<p>“Close your eyes,” Kurt repeats, and it’s deep, dark, lower than his voice usually is. Sort of strict. Blaine nods quickly and then does.  </p>
<p>He feels the bed shift as Kurt climbs off it, and then he hears noise – general sounds of Kurt moving around his bedroom before a, “Keep them closed, okay?” and then the door closing. Blaine peeks; he can’t help it. The room has gone silent and his quick glance confirms it; Kurt has locked himself in his adjoining bathroom. He squeezes his eyes shut again and waits. </p>
<p>“Blaine? You can- you can open your eyes.” </p>
<p>Kurt’s voice has lost its lowness, instead filled up with a mixture of nervousness and commitment. He opens his eyes. They immediately blur into something darker, richer, raking over Kurt’s body. He’s standing in the doorway to the bathroom, head to toe in the exact same outfit. Boots, safety pin pants, red shirt, black tie. Harness belt.  </p>
<p>He’s fixed his hair, too, a little bit more styled that it was just before.  </p>
<p>Blaine knows he should say something. Kurt is doing this for him. Entirely for him. His mouth feels dry, though, and nothing feels worthy of being said right now when he could just watch. Admire. Drink him in. </p>
<p>“You know how I feel about repeating outfits,” Kurt says, less nervousness in his tone now, “but I figured I could make an exception.” </p>
<p>“Kurt, you...” but, what? He still doesn’t have a single clue how to articulate what he’s feeling. Kurt looks... hot. He always does but right now unbearably so. He’s noticing him the same way he did that night, but this time he doesn’t have to hide it, bury it, ignore it, distract himself from it. He lets it wash over him and enjoys the thrill it gives him, the way it makes Kurt flush because he can see the want in Blaine’s eyes.  </p>
<p>So he gives up on words; moves across the bed and hops off it, makes his way over to Kurt but keeps the steps slow, careful, on purpose. Grips the harness once he’s close enough, fingers winding around the strap and holding on the way he’s wanted to ever since he first saw it on Kurt. And then he tugs, quite strong, still on purpose.  </p>
<p>Kurt looks happy, triumphant, knowing he’s succeeded in what wanted from this.  </p>
<p>“Can I kiss you how I should have kissed you that night?” he asks, a little desperate.  </p>
<p>Kurt nods, sure, sure, so <em>sure</em>. He’s always been so sure.  </p>
<p>Why hasn’t Blaine? </p>
<p>He wants to start with a tenderness, to ease them into the kiss that Kurt deserves, but apparently his lips have other plans. They’re fierce and insistent right from the start, giving and taking <em>so much</em>, everything, more, more, more. He keeps pulling on the harness as if Kurt could get any closer to him, as if their bodies aren’t already lined up and pressed together.  </p>
<p>Kurt’s hands twist around the back of his neck, tugging too. They are both tugs and pulls and need. Blaine can feel a heat in both of them that he’s never felt before – they've made out plenty; in empty rooms, in the back seat of Kurt’s car, on Blaine’s front porch. Anywhere they could, really. But there had been a sweetness in that making out, like they were just tasting and trying and falling into it, nicely. There is nothing just nice about this.  </p>
<p>He wants more. It feels like Kurt wants more, too.  </p>
<p>They won’t chase more, though, because of the open bedroom door and Burt being upstairs and they haven’t talked about... that. But it makes him feel wild and excited to know that it’s there, under the surface, and that they will get to it.  </p>
<p>He starts to slow the kiss down, loosening his grip on the harness and giving the tenderness that he’d intended to start with. And then he nips at Kurt’s bottom lips, playful at first and then one last one, with more intent, to let Kurt know he doesn’t want to be stopping, but is. And then he uses his tongue to soothe it, glides over the spot he just bit, and kisses him once more. Soft. Tender. Lingering. </p>
<p>Kurt breathes for a moment. He needs to. Blaine needs to, too.  </p>
<p>And then once it settles, Kurt speaks. It’s quiet and reverent and almost a whisper. </p>
<p>“You noticed.” </p>
<p>He did. He definitely did.  </p>
<p>“I noticed.” </p>
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